Black Friday begins today

Which? reveals how to get the best deals

Our reviews will help you avoid an expensive mistake this Black Friday

With the infamous Black Friday finally here, we’ve rounded up the major shops offering Black Friday deals, including the offers that each one has available. Plus, read our tips on how to find the best price and avoid a misleading deal.

Amazon, Argos and Tesco are just some of the shops that have been offering Black Friday deals all week in the lead-up to today.

But, for many, the price cuts are just beginning, with some being offered all next week, too. Read on to find out which shops are doing what, and our Black Friday shopping tips.

Black Friday shops

Doing your research before you buy could save you even more money. So to help you find the best product at the best price, we’ve listed the deals that some of the biggest shops are offering this Black Friday:

Amazon – deals on everything from vacuum cleaners to homewares, with up to 50% off until midnight tonight.

Argos – from toys to televisions, it’s slashing prices by up to 60% until 28 November.

Boots – it has deals on a wide range of its electrical and beauty products, some of which are only available online.

House of Fraser – it will be slashing prices from today and over this whole weekend.

John Lewis – offers on everything from small appliances to tech gadgets, running over this weekend.

Littlewoods and Very – both are offering new deals each day, only available for 24 hours, until 28 November. It has up to 30% off mattresses and bedroom furniture.

Tesco – it’s discounting thousands of products until 1 December.

It’s worth keeping an eye out for deals on 28 November, too, which is know as Cyber Monday, another big day for potential bargains.

Black Friday tricks to avoid

Unfortunately, just because something looks like it’s a great price, it doesn’t mean it’s great value.

First and foremost, it’s worth taking a look at our reviews to check a products isn’t a Don’t Buy that should be avoided, even if it’s cheap. We’ve tested thousands of products, so spending a little now to get access to all our reviews could save you a lot.

Also, make sure you remain skeptical, and don’t be swayed by what could be an over-inflated ‘was’ price. When we investigated Black Friday deals from 2015, we found special offers at two major electrical shops that were potentially misleading.

Only half of the deals we tracked for three months before Black Friday and two months after were cheapest or joint-cheapest on Black Friday, the rest were cheaper at other times.

To avoid this trap, use the ‘Where to buy’ tab at the top of our product reviews. Here you will see how the price of an item has changed over time, and whether it’s likely to change.

Black Friday shopping tips

If you’re hitting the high street, take a look at prices online first so you know if something is a good price. Also check how many retailers are selling the same product.

It’s also worth checking whether a shop will price match, so you can do all your shopping in one place, which will cut postage costs if you’re buying online.

Finally, check the returns policy on Black Friday items. Shops don’t have to refund or exchange a product if it’s not faulty. Although a lot of shops will, it’s wise to check before you buy.